It amazes me that the God who created this world could care about me. That the God who just spoke things into existence could even spare a moment’s thought about me.
But that’s what we see here. Isaiah talks about the Israelites here, and how God had chosen them to be his people. And it says of their time in Egypt,
In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them.
In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old. (Isaiah 63:9)
In all their distress, he too was distressed.
Isaiah said this of the Israelites, but it’s true of us as well. During the times when we’re hurting, God hurts right along with us. When we weep, he weeps with us.
And when we were lost in our sins, he redeemed us and saved us through his Son’s work on the cross. He lifts us up and carries us through all we go through in life.
And he’s a powerful God. Isaiah writes in chapter 64,
For when you did awesome things that we did not expect, you came down, and the mountains trembled before you.
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.
You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways. (Isaiah 64:3–5)
He is a God that has the power to change things. To help us.
He delivered the Israelites from the power of Egypt when it was one of the most powerful nations in the world. He did it with signs and wonders that caused fear in the hearts of all of Israel’s enemies.
And it is this same God that works in our lives today. He works in all those who wait for him and who seek to serve him.
He is the God of compassion and power.
Yet one thing can separate us from him and the blessings and help he wants to give us each day: our sin.
The Israelites rebelled against him and grieved his Spirit despite all that he had done for them. And so God delivered them into the hands of their enemies.
Just like the Israelites, when we live in sin, we cut ourselves off from God. As Isaiah said,
All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away.
No one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins. (Isaiah 64:6–7)
When we fail to seek God, even our righteous deeds are like filthy rags to him. Isaiah literally compares our deeds to used menstrual cloth.
And ultimately, we reap the consequences of our sin. Sin will destroy us if we give ourselves to it.
What is the path to forgiveness? Repentance. Turning from our sins and asking for forgiveness. Remembering who our Creator is, and seeking him. To pray as Isaiah did,
Yet, O Lord, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
Do not be angry beyond measure, O Lord; do not remember our sins forever.
Oh, look upon us, we pray, for we are all your people. (Isaiah 64:8–9)
And when we do, we’ll know his compassion and power in our lives again.
Moment to Moment (Bible blog) 